Pots and Pans

Pots and pans form the backbone of your kitchen's useful equipment.  In all likelihood, you will reach for your pots and pans for each meal that you prepare at home, and thus it makes sense to use pots and pans most suitable for the types of cooking you perform on a regular basis.

You might start out preparing breakfast by using a frying pan or a skillet.  These pans have a large flat surface and a shallow depth with a single long handle, making them perfectly suited for frying foods.  A frying pan can help you make a perfect omelet, because the pan is an appropriate size and shape to help you create this breakfast specialty.  Griddles are a variation of a frying pan, and some made of cast iron will fit over two burners on your stove, providing a large cooking surface on which to prepare pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage or french toast. 

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There are many pots and pans that will help you in getting lunch or dinner together in an expedient manner.  Soup pots are infinitely useful.  These large, deep pots are the perfect size for creating soups, stews and chowders, because they hold a good volume of liquid without the dangers that come from boiling liquids coming in contact with your hands, which can happen if the pot is too shallow. 

Stock pots are very popular for making wonderful, rich homemade stocks, such as chicken, beef, shrimp or crab, and  vegetable stocks.  One of the best ways to create an intensely flavored stock is to roast the bones or vegetables in the oven first, then deglaze the pan with wine, after which the bones and bits from the botton of the roasting pan are placed in the stock pot, and covered with water.  Adding a bit of onion, garlic and herbs will only go to improve the heavenly flavor of your concoction.  Slowly simmer this for several hours, then strain and freeze in one to two-cup portions, and you will have an amazing flavor base from which to start a myriad of different recipes requiring stock.

Pans are the cook's first pick for roasting and baking foods.  Lasagnas and other layered dishes require a pan for its shallow but wide depth for even cooking of the food held within. 

Pans are also created for the cooking of specific types of foods.  Pie pans are shallow round pans with flared sides that are perfect for your next apple or peach pie.  Cake pans come in round or square shapes, and work well for making layered cakes. 

Because you use them so frequently, it pays to invest in quality pots and pans, which you can then enjoy using for many years to come.